No Mercy / No Malice: The Financial Frontier

Private Space

The private space economy is rapidly evolving, with companies like SpaceX dominating the market. George Hahn highlights that SpaceX holds a 73% share of space launches, while other players like Arianespace and Blue Origin are striving to compete 1. The sector is not only about launching satellites but also involves deorbiting old ones and managing space debris, which is becoming increasingly important as space becomes more congested.

The FTC has already issued its first fine for space junk. By treaty, nobody owns space and the moon belongs to everyone. That's a problem.

--- George Hahn

The geopolitical and commercial stakes are high, with the space economy valued at $630 billion in 2023 and projected to reach $1.8 trillion by 2035 2.

   

Satellite Backbone

Satellites are the backbone of the burgeoning space economy, akin to machinery and intellectual property on Earth. George Hahn explains that satellites are crucial for services like television, GPS, and internet, with Starlink leading the charge in satellite deployment 2. The number of operational satellites is rapidly increasing, with SpaceX's Starlink alone planning to launch 30,000 more, raising concerns about one entity controlling global internet access.

The idea of one man controlling the world's high-speed Internet access is unsettling.

--- George Hahn

This growth underscores the strategic importance of satellites in the space economy, as they form the essential infrastructure for future developments 2.